Method and means for correcting inclination in driving sectional sheet piling



April 30, 1935. E. L. BOWEN 1,999,924

METHOD AND MEANS FOR CORRECTING INCLINATION IN DRIVING SECTIONAL SHEET FILING Filed Oct. 4, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet l Apr1l 30, 1935. BOWEN METHOD AND MEANS FOR CORRECTING INCLINATION IN DRIVING SECTIONAL SHEET FILING 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 4, 1955 QAWA April 30, 1935. E, L. BOWEN 1,999,924

METHOD AND MEANS FOR CORRECTING INCLINA TION IN DRIVING SECTIQNAL SHEET FILING Filed Oct. 4, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Mom W1 3 Patented Apr. 30, 19 35 7 "i iNoLiNATroN IN snna'r FILING l STA-T 135- DRIVING SECTIQNAL I Everette L. Bowen, Barstow, Md. Application ctober 4, 1933, Serial No.- 692,20?

v p n 18 Claims. This application is a continuation, as to all common" subject matter, of my prior copending application Serial No. ,687,901, filed September 1, 1933. Thepresent invention relates also to theart of hydraulic and earth engineering being concerned with that phase of the art which has to do with the placing and'driving of sectional sheet piling, particularly interlocking metal sheet pilmg; o

Inthe construction of seawalls'. bulkheads, cofferdarns and the like, it has been found in most cases that ground conditionscause progressively increasing inclination of the piling sections as v theyare driven home. In wall structures of apboth. If not checked, especially in the case of piling sections of considerable length, on walls usinginterlockingmetalpiling sections the interlock pulls apart at the bottom of the wall and thereby materially weakens the structure, as well as impairing its effectiveness.

An object of this invention is the provision of a method of correcting such objectionable inclination and tendency to inclination as the piling sections are driven. Another object is the provision of means for correcting inclinaton in sheet piling sections as the sections are driven home; A further object is the'provision of sheet piling elements capable of formative adaptation to ground conditions in a manner .to correct. inclination as the sections'are driven home. A still further object is the provision of pilingelement associated means forbuilding ground resistance in a mannerto efiect'c'orrectional movement of a piling element as it is being driven.

' Other objects will be apparent to those'skilled in the art; The present-disclosure is illustrative of structural embodiments of the principlesof my invention and it is to be understood that the invention is capable of variation as to details of structure to any extent not inconsistent with the scope of the invention as claimed. In the drawine's:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of 'aninterlocking sheet metal piling section and associated inclination correcting means.

Figure 2 is an. elevationof the entrant end of a piling section web illustrating the selective association of inclination correctingmeans therewith for control of correctional movement.

Figure 4. is a section on line. 4-4 of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a perspective view of an attaching F ATENT or ice Manson ANnMl ifis ion element employed for connecting a piling element and an inclination correcting member in service relation. r

Figure'fi is'a detached group perspective of the assembly shownin Figures 2 and 3.7

Figure 7 is a perspective view of an alternative form oi inclinati'oncorrecting member. s Figure 8 is an elevation of the member shown in Figure 7, as applied in service, andillustrating the-use of means for'adjusting the angular disposition of the correcting member.

Figure 9 isasectionon line 99 of Figure 8. Figure 10 is a section on line Iii-l0 of Figure 9 Figure 1-1 is a fragmentary perspective view of anralternative form of inclinationcorrecting means. 3

Figure 12 is a horizontal section through the structure ofFig'urell.

Figure 13 isa view, partly in section. illustratan alternative formingan. assembly employing of securing means. 7' V .Figure 14 is ,a perspective'viewoi the alternative form of securing means shown in Figure 13'. Figure l5'is an elevation, partly in section, of a further alternative embodiment of the in.- clinationcorrecting means.

Figure 16 is a perspective view of'a piling sec-. tion as formativelyadapted to effect correctional movement of the section "as it is driven. q -;Figure 17 is a transverse section through the lower part of the piling shown in Figure 16.

Figure 18 is a perspective viewof an alternativemanner if-formative adaptation of asheet piling element toefiectjcorrectional movement extensive jaws 23, all of integral construction. In wall, structuresformed of such piling the sections are successively driven in interlocked. en

'gagement. Particularly inthe case of seawa'lls through the inclination becomes apparent aiter the first few;

sections are 'placedv and driven home. Inthe practice of this invention such inclination, when it becomes apparent,-is corrected by means'oi corrective treatment of succeeding piling sections in such'manner that as the piling is driven home a ground resistance ,is built up at the entrant endat such'an angle that the piling is moved in the desired direction.

.Such building up of ground resistance may be accomplished by formative adaptation of in dividual piling sections to local conditions, as Where the nature of shown in Figures 16 to 19. the ground material. permits, the desired correctional movement of a'section may be obtained by removing a portion of the jaw inwardly from the entrant end, as shown at the left of Figure 16 where the left hand jaw 23terminates above the.

hand jaw may be resorted to for moving-the sec- 7 V tion tothe left. In cases where alarger area of groundengaging surfaceis needed to bring about correctional movement the section is further formatively adapted to such condition by striking over the portion of the shank 22 between the shoulder 24 and the bottom edge of the section-web 2! along a line of bend 28 procured by preliminary blow torch heating. As seen in Figure l! the result of this operation is to provide an inclined bearing member 25 that extends laterally of the Web' ZI to engage the ground at an angle opposed to the angle of sec- .tion' inclination. r

As shown in Figures 18 and 19 a. piling section may be formatively adapted to correct a leaning to cne-side of the center line by striking out an inclined lip 2? :at the bottom of the web 21 to a desired degree of inclination-whereby the lip is angled with respect to the section web in a manner .t'o build up ground resistance asthe sectionis driven, andthereby to force the Web into 'correctionakmovement at the bottom of the piling. InFigure 1 9 the dotted line showing of the lip 21 indicates the selective disposition of this'element where lateral movement of I The necessary building up of ground resistance to onset correctional movement may also be accomplished through the agency of ground engaging guide means that may be attachedjas needed, to the entrant-portion of a piling section. Anembodiment of such means is shown in Figures 1 to 6 and comprises a substantially U shaped metal guide member 28 having a bend 29 and upright arms 30 terminating in ears .3! apertured in transverse alignment to receive the cylindrical shank-32 of a securing element here shown as a pivot pin 33" having at one'end an enlarged head 34 a'nd'a cen'tralreduced neck I web. This bearing aperture is so positioned that:

its distance abovethe bottom edge of the web is appreciably less than the length of the arms of guide memberlfi so that when thepartsare assembled, as shown-in Figures 2 and 3, the guide is pivotally attached to the piling section and may be swung selectively to a plurality of variously angled positions with respect to the transverse 'median plane of the web as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. :In assembling the parts the guide is disposed from beneath with its armsSD extending upon opposite side faces of the piling web and the shank of pin 33 is passed laterallythrough the ears and web aperture whereupon the guide member drops down on the pivotal bearing provided by the reduced neck 35 of the pin shank. with the shoulders formed in the shank at each end of the reduced neck engaging against the sides of theweb to anchor the pin against lateral dislodgment,

Figures 13 and 14 disclose an alternative embodiment of securing pin 33' having a head 34' one end and which differs from pin 33 only in that its shank 32' has a-centralfull diameter por- 'tion' extending substantially the width of the piling web 2 l, with arcuately reduced portions 35' onfeither side thereof to engage in the-ears 3l of the guide member whereby to permit the ears to drop down on the bearings thus provided and anchor the pi'n against lateral dislodgment.

Figures 7 to 10 illustrate an alternative embodiment of ground engaging guide means consisting of a metalbar 3! formed with a flatinner straight edge from which there extends at the top portion alateral cylindrical shank 38 having permit of the guide member being moved laterally; to pass the shank 38 through the piling web aperture with the bill passing beneath the web bottom, whereupon the member drops down on the bearing provided by the reduced neck 39 to anchor th'e shank against lateral dislodgment. l

5 Figures l1 and 12 are directed to an alternative construction of guide means particularly effective in correcting any leaning to one side of the center line-of a wall. In this form the guide comprises a substantially U shaped body similar to that shown in Figure 6, having upright parallel arms 38' and abend 29C The body is provided with an integral fin extending laterally from each side face of the body at the bend 29, which fin is designated as 42 and which is disposed at an angle with respect to the bend 29 and one of the arms 36' In this instance the fin structure 42 functions as does the lip 21 as shown and described in connection with Figures 18 and 19.

.. In all forms of the attachable guide means substantially the entire extent of the outer edge of the body is shaped as a rib beveled on its opposite side faces, the remainder of the body being 'of substantially rectangular cross-section at the arms, bends, and bar, hook and bill respectively. Thisconstruction facilitates ground engagement. In some instances it may be desirable to insure that the guide member first engages the ground material in substantially a vertical position. In

Figure 15 is shown a further alternative embodiment or ground engaging means incorporating this principle. It consists of a substantially U shapedguide member similar to the form shown inFigure 13 in all respects except that its bend 2Q'Cis angularly oiTset with'respect to thearms 33" so that when the guide is swung to engage the bend against the bottom edge of the piling section web 2! the arms 30" will be disposed at thedesired'angle for correctional movement of the section and the bend 29" will extend beneath the section forv entering the ground substantially in vertical position. r

In all structural embodiments of this invention the inclination correcting means comprises a ground engaging guide associated with a piling element. The guide is angled in opposition to the angle of inclination which is to belcorrected, and it is so formed and disposed thatas the piling element travels down underdriven movement the angled body of the guide builds up ground resistance thereunder in a manner to cause the entrant end of the piling to move in the desired direction.

The dotted line position of the guide at the right of Figure 2 illustrates oneof the two extreme and 55. These blocks areof graduated degrees of thickness and are adapted to be interposed.

between the bend of a guide member and the bottom edge of'th'epilin'g web, as shown in Figure 2. the thickness of the particular spacer wedge selected determining the angular "adjustment of the guide. a

In the various figures of the drawings like reference characters have been employed to indicate identical parts in support of particular and general description.

I claim: 1. In combination, a piling element, a ground engaging guide member carried thereby and movable thereon, and means interposed between said piling element and guide member for selectively angling said guide on the piling with respect to 1 its line of driven movement.

2. In combination,-a piling element, a ground engaging guide member movably mounted thereon and having a portion extending beneath the piling element bottom, a spacer block having opposed faces respectively contacting the piling element bottom and the extending portion of the guide member, and one face being angled with respect to the other.

3. In combination, a piling element, a ground engaging guide angularly adjustable thereon, and means interposed between and cooperatively engageable. with said guide and piling element to determine the angular adjustmentof the guide.

4. In combination, a sheet piling section, a

trant portion substantially parallel tothe axis,

of'the section.

5. Inclination correcting means for sheet .piling sections, comprising a ground engageable bearing member, and means for swingably attaching said member to the entrant end of a'piling section whereby saidmember may be angled with respect to a section after it is attached thereto.

6. The combination with a piling element having an entrant end adapted to be driven into the ground, of a ground bearing member carried by said element, and means on said member engageable beneath said entrant end at an angle thereto. 7

'7. The combination with an interlocking sheet piling section having a web, shanks, and jaws, of a ground bearing member pivotally attached to said web and having a portion disposed beneath the entrant end thereof, and'said member having a body portion extending laterally of the web and substantially perpendicular thereto.

8. In combination, a sheet piling section, a

ground engageable guide plate carried thereby, and said plate, having a portion extending over with respect tothe vertical median plane of the section.

9. In combination, a sheet piling section having a web provided with a transverse aperture,

the entrant edge of said piling section at an angle a ground engaging guide member, and means for r pivotally securing said guide member to the web, said means comprising a pivot pin associated with said guide and having a bearing in the web aperture.

. 10. In combination, a sheet piling section having a web provided with an aperture, 'a ground engaging guide member, apivot pin associated with said guide member and journalled in said web aperture, and a shoulder on said pin engaging said web to anchor the pin against lateral dislodgement.

11. In combination, a sheet piling section having a flat web portion provided with an aperture,

a substantially U shaped ground engageable guide U shaped member terminating in ears apertured in alignment with the web aperture, a securing i elementjdisposed through said ears and web apermemberengaged therewith with its bend beneath the bottom edge of the section, the arms of said 25 ing a web provided with an aperture, a ground engaging guide member havinga hook portion extending beneath the bottom edge of the web, and a pivot pin extending from said guide member in and through the web aperture.

13. In combination, a sheet piling section, and

a ground engaging guide member pivotally attached thereto.

14. Piling element inclination correcting means comprising a ground engageable guide member formed toengage over the bottom edge of a pil ing element, and piling element engageable se- 7 curing means on said guide member.

v15. In combination, a piling element'having a ground entrant edge, a ground bearing guide member extending across said edge in advance piling section having, a web, shanks, and jawsiof a ground bearing member pivotally attached to said'web in the median plane thereof, a fin on said member and extending laterally of the web, and means on said member forengaging the bottom edge of the web at one side of its median plane. i

. 18. The method di -correcting inclination in piling elements during'a driving operation',; which consists in placing a ground bearing'guide over and across the bottom edge of an inclining element prior to ground entry, attaching the. guide permanently'to' the element, then setting the guide at an angle opposed to the angle of incli nation of the element, and thereafter driving the element home.

' VERE'II'E'L. BOWEN. 

